A one-pager of encouragement detailing the impact of partnering with great organizations like Water is life International, Ethiopia Kale Hewot Church, and the Arsi-Bale Evangelical Fellowship of Churches. These partnerships are multiplied hundreds of times over with village leaders, government workers, churches, families, and individuals in rural villages throughout West Arsi. 

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.   The heartbreaking story Nicholas Kristof told about families in the Congo and elsewhere,…

“There’s an ugly secret of global poverty, one rarely acknowledged by aid groups or U.N. reports. It’s a blunt truth that is politically incorrect, heartbreaking, frustrating and ubiquitous…” So begins a 2010 op-ed by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof detailing the lifestyle choices of many parents in the developing world that prevent their children from flourishing by, among other things, obtaining an education. Kristof gives…

by Champ Rhodes The legacy of 80’s era comedies is a ‘plethora’ of phrases we use day to day almost without notice. At an event a few months back, I had the chance to do 30 or so ‘elevator pitches’ about Africa Water and Life. Ironically, I found myself spending most of my time telling people what we weren’t rather than what we were.  I…

A number of recipes for producing clay are readily available. Ingredients vary but the final purpose is rather uniform: a moldable substance that can be used to reflect the vision of an artist (be it a 2 year old with Play-do or a master sculptor.) This past year Africa Water and Life was ‘becoming clay’; finding the right ingredients that, when mixed, would allow us…

Year’s end brings opportunities for all of us to consider God’s blessings, especially His Son, and look for ways to channel them towards others. It’s our nature – we’re made in His image. As He gives, so we love to give. Africa Water and Life is offering you a chance to join us as we look to 2013. Next year, we plan to help 4…

In September we finished up a great campaign raising money to support our second year investing in Self Help Groups in the West Arsi Zone. So it was a great pleasure to visit Ethiopia in late October and get a first-hand report of the impact SHG are having on families throughout the region. Our partners with the Ethiopia Kale Hewot Church have done a tremendous…

Last week our leadership team returned from a week in Ethiopia visiting our partner organizations and getting updated on a number of initiatives we’ve invested in.  The vast undeveloped land in Ethiopia is a reminder of the tremendous resources she possesses. And the ripe fields turned gold during this Autumn harvest season tells a tale of great potential for this burgeoning country. Shortly after arriving…

On July 15, Africa Water and Life began the 5Cents4Change Campaign. Our goal was to introduce you to the concept that rural Ethiopians aren’t destined to be poor, they have great potential, and that their greatest need is hope, and eyes to see the resources all around them. We sought to do this by creatively raising money to fund Self Help Group training, a program…

We often discover treasures en route to our desired destination. We’ve found this to be true in our few years working in Ethiopia. While Ethiopia is beginning to pursue their potential as a just and prosperous country, most people fear the unknown and therefore lack the initiative to create a better future. One of the great privileges we’ve had in Ethiopia is getting to know…